Drive gearing for washing machines and the like



Nov, 8, 1938. H. H. LINDSTROM 2,135,904

DRIVE GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 25,-'l957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm .ZiIZLjnc/s from Nov. 8, 1938.

H. H. LINDSTROM DRIVE GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 25, 1937 Nov. 8, 1938. 2,135,904

DRIVE GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE H. H. LINDSTRQM Original Filed May 25, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 8, 1938. H. H. LlNDSTROM 2,135,904

DR IVE GEARING F OR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 25, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIVE GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Application May '25, 1937, Serial No. 144,699 Renewed April 25, 1938 7 Claims.

This invention relates to gearing for use in driving washing machines and other mechanisms and while it is capable of rotating the driven structure continuously in either direction, the most important feature of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the direction of movement of the driven structure can be reversed after any desired number of revolutions in either direction, such reversal of rotation being effected without any appreciable increase in power required during the reversing operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a gearing which is simple, compact and efiicient and which can be adjusted readily to vary the number of rotations of the driven structure between reversals of rotation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure is a front elevation of a portion of a washing machine provided with the gearing constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the relative positions of the parts during rotation of the driven structure in the opposite direction from that in which it is being driven in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line 4- 3, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an end elevation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-6, Figure 1.

Figure l is a section on line l-l, Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8, Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a section on line 99, Figure 5.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference l designates a shaft constituting the driven element which, in the present instance, constitutes a part of a washing machine a portion of which been indicated at W. This shaft can be supported in a suitable bearing 2 and has secured to it the web 3 of a drum A gear 5 is secured to the bearing I and meshes at all times with another gear 6 secured to a shaft 1 which is journalled in web 3. This shaft carries a cam wheel 8 or the like for reciprocating a slide 9 mounted in a guide ID carried by Web 3. By varying the ratios between the gears 5 and 6, the number of rotations of drum 4 in proportion to the number of rotations of cam 8 can be varied. For example these gears can be so proportioned that drum 4 will make three complete rotations during each one-half rotation of the cam 8. Obviously other ratios can be utilized, however simply by changing the gears 5 and 6.

The periphery of drum 4 is provided with a guide channel in the form of an elongated loop extending partly around the drum and the semicircular end portions l2 of which are spaced apart by a wall l3 affixed to or formed with the drum and by movably mounted switch blocks I4. The walls of these blocks and the dividing portion I3 cooperate normally to form semi-circular guide surfaces l5 concentric with the adjacent opposed walls of the guide groove or channel ll so that, under normal conditions, the two walls of this groove or channel I i extend endlessly and without interruption.

The switch blocks have their outer surfaces normally flush with the corresponding surface of the wall I3 but they aremounted to slide within corresponding openings in the periphery of the drum as shown at I6, these blocks being joined within the drum by a cross-bar 11 attached to the slide 9.

Each of the blocks M has a raised outer side portion [8 adapted to extend outwardly beyond the corresponding marginal portion of drum 4 when the outer surface of wall 13 is flush with the adjacent portions of blocks I4.

Extending outwardly from the periphery of the drum adjacent to the outer walls of guide groove ll, are teeth l9 regularly spaced. Similar teeth are also formed along the raised portions l8 of the blocks M where they will constitute continuations of the series of teeth 89 when blocks [4 are retracted to bring the raised portions l8 flush with the surface of drum 4. These teeth on the blocks 14 have been indicated at 20. Similarly regularly spaced teeth 2! are arranged on the wall it adjacent to its opposed arcuate surfaces 15 and cooperate with teeth 22 on the ends of the blocks 14 to form arcuate series of teeth at the looped ends of the groove ll when the blocks M are projected outwardly to their normal position with the outer surfaces thereof flush with the outer surface of wall l3.

Extending across the drum 4 and spaced therefrom is a supporting structure 23 having guide rods 24 on which a carriage 25 is mounted to slide freely. In the structure illustrated this carriage supports an electric motor 26, a housing 21 containing reduction gearing driven by the motor, and a depending shaft 28 driven by the gearing and projecting into the groove H. To this shaft is secured a toothed wheel 29 for engaging and driving the teeth on the drum. Shaft 28 is preferably journalled in a depending bearing,sleeve 30 which slides within a slot 3| formed within a locking bar 32 which is pressed yieldingly in a downward direction by spring 33 and has projecting end lugs 34 slidable within slots 35 provided for them. Oppositely extending pins 36 project from the sleeve 30' and slidably engage the lower surface of bar 32. Notches 31 are located in this bar adjacent to the ends of slot 3| and are adapted to receive the pins 30 when shaft 29 is at the two extremes of its sliding movement.

In practice the motor operates the wheel 29 and this in turn, through its engagement with the teeth at one side of the drum, will set up a rotary motion of the drum which will be transmitted to the shaft l and the mechanism driven thereby. As the drum is rotated the wheel 29 will ultimately come into engagement with the teeth 22 on the adjacent switch block l4 which, under some conditions, has its outer surface flush with the wall l3. Thus the wheel 29 will be guided laterally within the arcuate portion of groove H and with sufficient force to cause carriage 25 and the parts carried thereby, to travel along the guide rods 24- from one extreme position to the other. When this carriage is started, the force exerted will be sufiicient to force the locking bar 32 upwardly so as to become disengaged from the pins 36 and allow said pins to slide along the bottom of the bar until they reach the other set of notches 31. Obviously as the wheel travels from teeth 22 it will engage teeth 2| and then engage the other teeth 22 and finally come into engagement with those teeth l9 at the opposite end of the drum. Thus the rotation of the drum will be reversed and said-drum and the parts actuated thereby, will be rotated in this opposite direction until the other arcuate end of the looped groove is'reached whereupon another reversal of operation can occur. Obviously the carriage will slide back and forth along the guides 24 as necessary.

As the drum rotates motion is transmitted therefrom through the gears and 6 to the cam 8 which, at a predetermined time, retracts the switch block l4 relative to the periphery of the drum and as shown in Figure 9 so that the outer series of teeth 20 on these blocks will be brought into proper alinement with the teeth l9 while the inner teeth 22 will be retracted inwardly from the level of the wall It. Thus when gear 29 reaches the location of the blocks [4, it will not be deflected laterally by the teeth on the block but will be free to travel across the adjacent block and thus set up a continuous rotation in one direction until such time as the cam 8 operates to thrust the switch blocks outwardly to their first positions whereupon, when they engage the gear, it will be deflected laterally and cause the drum to reverse its motion as before explained.

Obviously these parts can be set to produce any desired number of rotations between reversals of movements or it can be set to produce a series of reversal movements followed by one or more complete rotations. This regulation of the direction of rotation is eifected by changing the ratios of the gears 5 and 6 and changing the size and shape of the cam.

While the mechanism has been shown provided with an electric motor for driving it, it is to be understood that any other suitable means can be provided, it merely being essential that the means employed shall not interfere with the sliding movement of the carriage 25.

While this mechanism is designed primarily for use in connection with washing machines, it

is to be understood that it can be employed wherever it is desired to set up an automatic reversal of rotation following a predetermined number of complete rotations.

What is claimed is:

l. Gearing of the class described including a rotatable element having a continuous series of teeth thereon forming a loop extending partly around said element and having spaced arcuate end portions and parallel side portions, sets of teeth interposed between the arcuate ends of said loop, means operated by the rotation of said element for shifting the interposed teeth into alinement with the teeth forming the parallel sides of the loop and at the same time withdrawing some of the teeth from within the arcuate end portions of the loop, a movably supported gear meshing with the teeth, and means for driving the gear.

2. Gearing of the class described including a rotatable element, a normally endless series of teeth thereon positioned'to form a loop extending partly around the element and having spaced arcuate ends, a gear mounted for reciprocation across said element, guiding means for maintaining the gear in mesh with the teeth thereby to impart a back and forth rotation to said element, supplemental teeth positioned between the ends of the loop at the sides thereof, and means controlled by the rotation of said element for shifting some of the teeth at the arcuate ends of the series out of position for engagement by the gear and for shifting the supplemental teeth into position for engagement by the gear, thereby to form parallel uninterrupted annular series of teeth for engagement by the gear.

3. Gearing of the class described including a rotatable element having a continuous series of teeth thereon forming a loop extending partly around said element and having spaced arcuate end portions and parallel side portions, sets of teeth interposed between the arcuate ends of said loop, means operated by the rotation of said ele ment for shifting the interposed teeth into or out of alinement with the teeth forming the parallel sides of the loop and at the same time withdrawing some of the teeth from or positioning them within the arcuate end portions of the loop, a movably supported gear meshing with the teeth, means for guiding the gear during the relative movement of the gear and rotating element, and means for driving the gear.

4. Gearing of the class described including a rotatable element having a continuous series of teeth thereon forming a loop extending partly around said element and having spaced arcuate end portions and parallel side portions, sets of teeth interposed between the arcuate ends of said loop, means operated by the rotation of said element for shifting the interposed teeth into or out of alinement with the teeth forming the parallel sides of the loop and at the same time withdrawing some of the teeth from or positioning them within the arcuate end portions of the loop, a movably supported gear meshing with the teeth, means for guiding the gear during the relative movement of the gear and rotating element,

yielding means for holding the gear at the respective limits of its movement, and means for driving the gear.

5. Gearing of the class described including a rotatable element having a continuous series of teeth thereon forming a loop extending partly around said element and having spaced arcuate end portions and parallel side portions, sets of teeth interposed between the arcuate ends of said loop, a rotatable cam carried by said element, means operated by the rotation of said element for rotating the cam, means operated by said cam for shifting the interposed teeth into or out of alinement with the teeth forming the parallel sides of the loop and at the same time withdrawing some of the teeth from or positioning them within the arcuate end portions of the loop, a movably supported gear meshing with the teeth, and means for driving the gear.

6. Gearing or" the class described including a rotatable drum, a series of teeth in the form of an endless loop extending partly around the drum and having spaced arcuate end portions and parallel side portions, there being a guide groove in the drum and parallel with said series, shiftable switch blocks movably mounted in the drum, some of the teeth of said series being mounted on the blocks, supplemental teeth upon the blocks and normally supported out of active positions between the ends of the loop, a gear meshing with the teeth of the loop, means for supporting the gear for sliding movement along a line parallel with the axis of rotation of the drum,'means for driving the gear to propel the teeth of the series and the drum, thereby to set up a back and forth rotation of the drum and a reciprocation of the gear, and means operated by the rotation of the drum for shifting the switch block to withdraw from active position some teeth forming a part of the looped series and positioning the supplemental teeth in alinement with the side portions or" the looped series, thereby to set up parallel unbroken annular series of teeth for engagement by the gear. 7. The combination with a driven element and parallel annular series of teeth thereon, of a gear mounted for reciprocation along lines parallel with the axis of rotation of said element, means for driving the gear to rotate said element continuously in either direction, and means controlled by the rotation of said element for defleeting the gear along arcuate lines from one annular series of teeth to the other annular series, thereby to reverse the rotation of the element.

HERBERT HAROLD LINDS'I'ROM. 

